Bowling ball



Patented `lan. 25, 1944 UNITED STAT-Es PATENT o1-Fics BOWLING BALL Henry B. Shepard, Newton, Mass., assignor to Stowe-Woodward, Inc., Newton Upper Falls, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 1, 1941,v Serial No. 377,064

This invention relates to bowling balls andthe object is to provide an improved construction for the digit-receiving openings permitting an easy grasp on the ball and facilitating accurate release and control of the same and one readily and inexpensively produced and applicable to balls of standard or regulation size and Weight withoutv impairment of such standards.

My invention will be well understood by refer'- ence to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein- Fig. 1. is a plan view of a bowling ball; and

Fig. 2 is a partial section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale.

Bowling balls as used in connection with socalled big or bottle pins at the present time usually consist of a massive or unitary body of hard rubber or the like. The diameter of the ball and. its weight are prescribed by the rules of the game. Also since the ball is a projectile to be controlled with accuracy by the skilled player, it must roll true. On account of the size and weight of the ball it cannot conveniently be held by grasping it exteriorly with the lingers and therefore there are provided therein holes to receive the thumb and one or two fingers of the bowlers hand. Conventionally these are bored in the solid body of the ball, preferably tov suit the hand of the individual user, and the ball` is constructed to compensate for the removal of material thereby occasioned so that it will' not thereafter be out of balance.

My invention provides a hole having a more or less curvilinear surface presented to the palmar side of the :linger which may be provided by a boring operation (as by the method and apparatus more fully described in my application Serial No. 377,063, led of even date herewith) and comparable from the point of View of the amount of material removed with the axially straight holes of the prior art so that the balance of the ball is not adversely aiected.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing,'I there show a ball with a thumb hole 4 and two nger holes 6 which, as illustrated, are arranged in the manner described in the patent to Bates No. 1,927,654, September 19, 1933.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the nger hole 6 there shown is generally circular in transverse section as characteristically formed by the rotation of a drill head about an axis central thereto. Longitudinally it may be considered as comprising a straight or cylindrical portion extending from the exterior at P to the point Q, merging into a curved arc-shaped portion extending from Q to R and an inner straight or cylindrical portion extending from R to S. The absolute and relativev lengths of these portions will be varied to suit the hand of the individual user but in general the portions P-Q and R--S respectively are adapted to oppose the medial and distal phalanges of the inserted ngen, asv illustrated in the drawing, while the arc-shaped portion, the portion Q-R, lies opposite the joint therebetween. At least in the portion of the hole opposing the palmar portion of the finger in use, the surface is substantially smooth or continuous without abrupt shoulders and the nger asit is withdrawn may slide easily therealong. Env the constructionv shown the straight portions are ex.- tended along the tangents' at the extremities ofv the curve Qi-R and as contrasted with a construction wherein they would liel outwardly of suchv tangcnts there is no reversal 'of direction in the; profile of the hole and the profile as a whole may aptly be characterized as convex throughout, being. free of any reentrant portions. The arc-shaped portion Q-R is desirably an arc of a spiral as characteristically formed by a movement of translation of the ball and the drilling tool, such as that eiected by a feeding movement of the drill, and a simultaneous relative rotation of the ball and tool, as more fully described inmy companion application above referred to. Relative rotation of the ball and a drill is limited by the engagement of the supporting shank of the latter with the side of the hole at the righthand side viewing Fig. 2', andi while the shank may be permitted slightly to indent the margin of the hole, since this side is not engaged by the finger in use, the amount oi angular movement is nevertheless restricted. 'The provision of a spiral arc, either alone or in combination with a straight outer portion, contributes substantially to producing the necessary depth in the hole while avoiding too sharp an undercut. If the axis of the lower straight or cylindrical portion of the hole 6 is extended, its distance from the center C of the ball, as indicated on the drawing, will indicate the pitch'of the hole and that distance gives the numerical value of the pitch. If the line extended radially, the hole would be of zero pitch and if the distance from the line to the center is one half inch, the pitch is one half and so on. The habits and training of an experienced bowler demand a hole of a given pitch. In the construction described the disposition of the interior straight segment of the hole which is engaged by the distal phalangeof the :linger provides for an action and control of tho ball similar to that provided by a conventional straight hole of similar pitch. While the pitch may vary, experience dictates that its numerical value be substantially less than half the radius of the ball. In other words, experience has placed a limitation on the effective amount of undercut of the hole.

It will be understood that the other hole 6 is similarlyformed while the thumb hole 4 may either be straight or, if desired, similarly constructed but of opposite convexity or curvature,

the convex portion of the hole in all instances being presented to the palmar side of the digit inserted therein.

In the construction shown thernger engages i the ball in a natural relaxed and curved position, yet the straight portions of the hole, in particular that engaged by the surfaces of the distal phalange, provide a secure grip. Accurate control of the ball in accordance with the intention and skill of the user is possible through the engagement of the linger tips with such surfaces at the moment of projection, while its release is effected in an easy manner. In depth and effective pitch the hole resemblesV the conventional straight holes of the prior art with which bowlers are familiar and its volume is not markedly different therefrom so that the balance of the ball is preserved. Thus a bowler doesnot need to unlearn anything or forget any of his acquired skill, but on the contrary is provided with an instrumentality permitting the full application of this skill in a more facile and accurate manner whereby he may expect to exert such skill to the desired end of making a higher score. f

I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive; reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A bowling ball of massive structure having digit-receiving openings therein including a finger hole, the longitudinal conformation of that side whereof which is engaged by the palmar side of the linger in use being as a whole convex throughout and comprising a curvilinearly convex portion to oppose the joint between the medialand distal phalanges merging smoothly into a straight portion for engagement by the palmar side of the nger tip.

2. A bowling ball of massive structure having digit-receiving openings therein including a c finger hole, the longitudinal conformation of that side whereof which is engaged by the palmar side of the finger in use being as a whole convex throughout and comprising outer and inner, substantially straight portions for engagement by the medial and distal phalanges respectively and an intermediate curvilinearly convex portion into which said straight portions merge.

3. A bowling ball of massive structure having digit-receiving -openings therein including a linger hole, the longitudinal conformation of that side whereof which is engaged by the palmar side of the finger in use lbeing as a whole convexthroughout and comprising outer and 20 inner, substantially straight portions for engagement by the medial and distal phalanges respectively and an intermediate curvilinearly convex portion corresponding to a spiral arc into which said straight portions merge.

4. A massive bowling ball having digit-receiving openings therein including a finger hole of generally circular cross section and of a depth to accommodate the distal and medial phalanges, the inner portion of the hole which lies at the 30 ringer tip being axially disposed along a line the perpendicular distance of which from the center of the ball is less than its distance from the surface thereof as measured along the same radial line, the hole presenting internally to the :i5 palmar side of the finger a smooth, convexly bowed surface without reentrant portions and including a spiral arc as characteristically produced by al combined relative translation and relative rotation between the ball and a boring tool.

5. A bowling ball of massive structure having digit-receiving openings therein including `a nger hole of a depth to receive the distal and medial phalanges, the longitudinal conformation of that side whereof which is engaged by the palmerside of the finger in use being as a whole convex throughout and comprising an outer, substantially straight portion to oppose the.A medial phalange merging smoothly into a conto tinuation thereof of which at least that portion which opposes the joint between the medial and distal phalanges is curvilinearly convex.

- HENRY B. SHEPARD. 

